The present invention features an electric meter for residential and commercial applications that will interface the renewable resource power and the requirements of the new energy technologies with the utility interconnection side or “the grid”. With the new surge in renewable resource electrical generation, which, due to global warming issues, will be growing exponentially in the future, a new, centralized electrical meter will be required.
In particular, the present invention features a Centralized Operating Meter for Energy Technologies (“COMET”). There are three elements that COMET will centralize into one unit:
(1) Dual Metering.
Current Scenario
Recently, aggressive “Performance Based” financial incentives have been funded for private, corporate and government buildings to encourage the use of New Energy Technologies (Renewable Resources like solar electric, wind turbine electrical generation, etc.). These incentives are base on the actual kilowatt-hours of electricity that the system produces and are paid over a term of years. During this incentive payment period, the sponsoring entity (the entity giving the incentive), requires a “Production Meter” or “Interval Data Meter” be installed, in addition to the electric meter that is installed by the electrical service provider (the municipality or privately held power company). This Production or Interval Data Meter, measures the exact amount of electricity production in time increments (usually around 15 min.) and stores and/or reports them via telephone or broadband connection to a monitoring entity. See FIG. 1.
Proposed Solution
COMET will incorporate both the electrical provider's meter (the meter used by the power company to determine the charges for the month), and the Production or Interval Data meter into one meter that can communicate with both entities and incorporates the required elements that are demanded by each side. They will include, but are not limited to, interval data recording and storage for use by the incentive entity, net meter calculations for use by the power company or provider, and interactive use by the homeowner to monitor his production vs. power used from grid, including time lines. FIG. 2.
(2) System Landing Point
Current Scenario
The accepted area to land the power that is produced by a renewable resource is onto the “bus bar” in the existing electrical panel, on the load side of the existing residential or commercial service panel. The rule of thumb is that an input of 20% over the existing main service panel rating is acceptable. Introducing more that 20% of the existing load would require the replacement of the existing main electrical service panel with a larger size panel, costing somewhere between $1,500 to $5,000. So, if a person or business wants to install renewable resources to generate more than 20% (most are trying to “ZERO” their meter), then they will have to incur this added expense. This will be the case for a huge percentage of customers installing renewable resources, and in California alone, that will be 1,000,000 customers before 2017.
Proposed Solution
COMET will connect at the existing main service panel, meter landing slots, which are on the supply side of the main breaker, and not on the bus bar. These meter landing slots tie directly to the grid and do not involve the bus bar, thereby eliminating the necessity of a main service panel change. See FIG. 3. Both the grid and the renewable power feed power into the breaker box, on the supply side of the main breaker. If the renewable source is making more power than the house can use, then the power goes to the grid, spinning the meter backwards.
(3) Maintain Power
Current Scenario
Currently, if the customer has a renewable energy system, and there is a loss of power on the grid, the renewable energy system is shut down not allowing use of the system by the customer. Imagine how frustrating it would be to not have power on a sunny day after paying tens of thousands of dollars to install a system.
Proposed Solution
COMET will have a “disconnect switch” and regulator, located inside along with a “brain” that monitors the power from the grid. Upon detection of the disruption of power from the grid, COMET will immediately “open” the switch, disconnecting the electrical system from the grid and allow any generated power from the renewable resource electrical system to continue supplying the building. COMET will continue to monitor for the return of the grid power, at which time, COMET will close the switch and resume a normal net metering mode. A battery capable of lasting 30 days will supply power to the “brain” for any times that the system may not be operating. FIG. 3.